Former Netflix executive joins board of Mount Maunganui-founded company Dropit

A former director of marketing at Netflix has joined a tech company founded in Mount Maunganui in 2015. Photo / File

A former Netflix executive behind the online entertainment revolution has joined the board of a tech company founded by Mount Maunganui brothers Brendan and Peter Howell.

Dr Joel Mier, former director of marketing at Netflix during much of the firm's formative first decade, has joined Dropit's board of directors which include the Howell brothers, and former Super Bowl executive Keith Bruce.

The Howells launched Dropit, a reverse auction app with a 60-second countdown, in Mount Maunganui in November 2015.

Dr Joel Mier. Photo / Supplied

The company operates from offices in Tauranga, Auckland and Miami.

Consumers take part in "reverse auctions" where the goods drop rapidly in price over 60 seconds until the first bidder swipes to win.

Mier, now a lecturer of marketing at the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond in Virginia, was director of marketing at Netflix for seven years, presiding over its transformative and early high growth phase.

He was responsible for the firm's Insights and Analysis function, helping to create one of the world's most customer-centric and innovative cultures.

During this time Netflix evolved from an online "a la carte" video rental business with only several thousand customers to a leading mainstream brand.

Peter Howell and Brendan Howell. Photo / File

Mier's focus helped Netflix in its global rise and success – now at more than 150 million subscribers worldwide.

Peter Howell said Mier joining the board was a significant endorsement of Dropit and its future growth.

"Joel is one of the best in the business. He has a proven history of choosing organisations with the ability to evolve into market-backed companies.

"He has particular strength in understanding the customer and translating that into the implementation of strategies and tactics to achieve business goals."

Co-chief executive Brendan Howell said Mier was a welcome addition to the board.

"He joins just as we look to intensify the growth of our business in the US market.

"Joel was an integral part of the Netflix executive team that prepared for how it would adjust to rapid growth and better prioritise its customers. Dropit is in a similar position; it's on the cusp of big things and we are all very excited by what lies ahead."